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Plugging Along

Written by Kerryn Offord

The Saale Industrial Zone, winter 1633-34

Larry Karickhoff turned the key of the pickup. The engine fired a few times, backfired, and stopped.

"What's the hold up, Larry? Day's over, everyone wants to get home," Johann Rademacher said.

Larry tried the engine again, with the same result. "I dunno, Johann." He flicked the fuel gauge. It remained steady. "Fuel's okay. I'll pop the hood and take a look."

Johann waited while Larry climbed out and opened the hood. There was a tapping on the glass behind him.

"Johann, what's the hold up?"

The workers in the back wanted to know what was happening. He climbed out of the cab to explain. "The engine won't start. Herr Karickoff is having a look."

"The same thing happened last week in this truck. Herr Straley said it was the spark plugs. He took them out and cleaned them and he was able to get the truck running again," Heinrich Bischoff offered.

"Thank you. I'll tell him. Hopefully the problem isn't serious and we can get home before dark."

Johann hated to disturb a man working on an engine, but it had to be done. He walked around to stand beside Larry. "Heinrich says there was trouble with the spark plugs last week."

Larry wiped his hands on his pants, then reached into the cab for the vehicle log book and flipped pages, checking the entries. "Shit! Typical bloody Norton. Has a problem and doesn't record it in the log." Larry made a note in the logbook, then put it back where it belonged before grabbing the tool box and returning to the engine.

****

"Damn it!" Larry waved the spark plug toward Johann and the others. "If any of you have to be anywhere soon, I suggest you start walking. This truck ain't going nowhere without a tow."

"What is the problem? If Norton could get the engine going by just cleaning the spark plugs, why can't you?" Johann asked.

"Because not only are they dirty, but this one's ground electrode is broken." Larry passed Johann the spark plug.

Johann held the spark plug up to see what the problem was. It was obviously very dirty, but . . . "What is a ground electrode?"

Larry handed him another spark plug. "See that little bit of metal hanging off the bottom? That's the ground electrode."

Johann could easily see the difference. "But why do you need to tow the vehicle? Can't it run on just seven cylinders?"

Larry shook his head. "It could run on just the seven cylinders. Not well, but well enough to get us home. But what's happened to that bit of metal? I hope it just fell off onto the ground. Because there's no telling what damage it could do floating around in a running engine."

"Ouch. Yes, I see. So you won't be running this truck until you find the missing piece of metal?"

"Or at least prove it isn't in the engine. Then we have to weld on a new ground electrode."

"Why don't you just get another spark plug? "

Larry stifled a laugh. "Where from? Nobody's making new plugs and nobody's selling their stock. We've still got a few left, but we're trying to put off using them as long as possible."

"They don't look as if they'd be too hard to make. Why hasn't anybody tried?"

"No idea, Johann. You're the guy with all the fancy letters after his name. Why don't you try it?"

December 1633

Johann Rademacher B.A., M.A. (Leiden) slammed his fists down on the workbench and screamed to the heavens. "What am I doing wrong?"

Aurene O’Keefe, who had been attracted to the work room by a continuous stream of swearing in no fewer than ...